doh and oh! and CRAP

[susandennis]

My mom has been a lover of the theater since forever. When I was in college, she and Daddy lived in midtown Manhattan with no children and she never missed a Wednesday matinee and dragged Daddy to the theater district at night whenever she could. For several seasons running she saw every single show on Broadway.

So, I saved my program from last night to send to her. I grabbed an envelope at work to and figured I'd stop by the post office between the bus and home. When I got on the bus, I realized I had not read it yet - outside of looking at Alan's picture and reading his blub.

I was reading along about each of the cast members when I discovered that one of them was the guy who played Les Nessman!!!! One of the greatest TV characters of all times. Les Nessman made nerds lovable in every single episode of WKRP in Cincinati. What fun.

I have been checking their website every day to see if there was any progress on my health insurance. I checked today. Nope. I get home and there's my insurance card in the mail! I sit down here to write this and bamo! there's an email saying that my application has been accepted and I'll soon be receiving an insurance card. (Sharp people....)

And also in the mail was a really nice package from the IRS!!! They say that there are some differences in some income I reported for 2003 and that others reported my having. And, ya know, a quick look at my 2003 return and they are right. I am an idiot. Geesh. It's mostly 1099 investment stuff and if I don't tell them the adjusted basis of the stocks sold, then they will readjust my taxes based on an income of more than $125,000 - this in a year when my real income was $49,000.

I got a hold of my investment guy's assistant and he says he can get me everything I need. I am going to fax the stuff to him Monday. I am sure I am going to have to pay more taxes and a penalty and interest. It's the cost of being an idiot. I just hope I can keep it so that I'm not a homeless idiot! Crap.

Comments

[dizzdvl.livejournal.com]

I can't pronounce chihuahua or ChiChi Rodriguez correctly because of Les Nessman!

[susandennis]

EXACTLY! And so many people missed the Les Nessman boat. I used to knock on air approaching everyone's cubicle but no one every got it.

[dizzdvl.livejournal.com]

Oh yes! The invisible door! I do that too :)

[rivendweller.livejournal.com]

The IRS will do that to you. It's probably 1099-B's reporting sales of securities? I doubt it's as bad as you think. They calculate the taxes on the gross proceeds and don't count the basis at all. So you'll only have to pay tax on the net gains. If you have net losses, well then, they have to pay YOU money!

Unless, of course, you're talking about interest or dividend income. Then it's bad.

[susandennis]

You always make me feel sooo much better!!!

It is 1099-B securities! And my finance guy is going to pull official proceed info. There's one $3,000 1099 misc that there is nothing I can do about - it's for the 3 year old bill a former employer finally paid me. But the rest is stuff for which I'm pretty darned sure I can prove tiny proceeds if any.

Thank you thank you thank you. Even if it does turn out bad, at least your comment makes me feel better tonight!

[rivendweller.livejournal.com]

Yay! That's why they used to pay me the big bucks.

[katbyte.livejournal.com]

Les Nessman, my hero!!! LOL. I liked that show.

duck tape walls

[davmoo.livejournal.com]

First, the comment you will like...

Les Nessman, even now with the jokes being 20 years old, still cracks me up. And to this day, hearing any story involving ChiChi Rodriguez makes me laugh out loud :-)

Now the comment you won't like...

The IRS. I'm going to give you a word of advice, and I just finished having this talk with someone who got audited last year over his 2002 returns. This hint is based on information from my mommy, who worked for the IRS for 33 years.

When you do your 2004 taxes, make sure that everything is perfect and there are no mistakes. I will bet you money that extra attention will be paid to your returns for this year and the next two years. Don't do anything foolish.

[susandennis]

Actually, I very much appreciate your comment. I had already decided to go back and double check this year's but now, I think I might just get serious about finding a CPA somewhere to do them pristinely. Thank you very much. Good old Les.

[davmoo.livejournal.com]

Do also keep in mind that there is one important difference between what you did and what my friend I just lectured did.

You made an honest mistake. Your next couple of returns will be looked at a little closer.

My friend purposely "massaged" his data. And they know it. His next returns will be gone over with the proverbial magnifying glass and fine-toothed comb. Several times. And by more than one person.